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United up for the cup says Dean

THE magic of the FA Cup will give Hinckley United the ideal opportunity to bounce back from the "blip" of last week's defeat to Stalybridge Celtic, according to boss Dean Thomas.

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by Hinckley Times

08:55, 25 Sep 2008Updated14:37, 10 Mar 2014

THE magic of the FA Cup will give Hinckley United the ideal opportunity to bounce back from the "blip" of last week's defeat to Stalybridge Celtic, according to boss Dean Thomas.

The Knitters went down by a single goal to the Celts at the Marston's Stadium last weekend, and return to home turf this Saturday against Solihull Moors in the second qualifying round of the cup.

The tie pitches the Knitters against a fellow Blue Square North side who they have already taken on this season.

Moors 'keeper Danny Crane turned in a stunning display to keep Hinckley at bay in the goalless August encounter.

Thomas will have to do without skipper Richard Lavery, who damaged medial ligaments in Saturday's defeat and is out for at least a month.

On the Stalybridge game, Thomas said: "I've been pleased with how things have gone all season but you are going to have a bit of a blip at times and I would regard that result as one of those.

"We couldn't pick up the tempo of the game and I thought we looked lethargic. It was evident we were causing our own problems with lapses in concentration. The goal was a horrible mistake and a bad decision by our two centre-halves.

"In the second half we had the lion's share of possession but we lacked a bit of quality in the final third.

"Now it is how we respond to that. We have shown a positive attitude in a lot of games recently and we need to remain that way."

That positive attitude will need to be shown in force on Saturday for a game which Thomas believes his side will be favourites to win.

He said: "All we were lacking in that game [in August] was a goal and we were by far the better side. But it will be a different proposition on Saturday as they have improved since then.

"The FA Cup is important financially and gains money and interest for the club. It's a chance for us to ease the burden on the finances and everyone who is in the competition is looking for that reward. "It is a different pressure playing in the cup. We want to do well and go on a run because it's been four years since we last did."

But with Lavery's injury and Craig McIlwain also still out, Thomas is concerned that the "spine" of the team which has served him so well this season is being broken up. He said: "Those players are there for a reason. You need that experience in your team and that's part of the reason we have done well so far.

"It has not gone unnoticed and hopefully we will have someone in by the weekend. We are still down to the bare bones." A new face who could be involved on Saturday is 22-year-old centre half Stuart Giddings, who was released by Coventry City in the summer and spent pre-season with Lincoln City. He made 16 first-team appearances for the Sky Blues in his five-year stint there and was on the bench against Stalybridge.